Skip to main content

Constant Lines

  • 4 minutes to read

A constant line is a line marker that extends over the chart and indicates an axis value. The constant line is always perpendicular to its axis.

ConstantLines_0

Add a Constant Line

Design-Time

To add a constant line at design time, expand the Diagram item in the Chart Control’s Properties window. Expand the AxisX or AxisY item and click the ellipsis button for the ConstantLines property.

ConstantLines_1

Click the Add button to create a constant line. Use the ConstantLine.AxisValue property to specify the constant line’s value.

image

The table below shows constant lines for X- and Y-axis.

Axis / Constant Line Value

Result

X-axis

ConstantLine.AxisValue = 0:02:30

image

Y-axis

ConstantLine.AxisValue = 53

image

Runtime (Code)

The following code demonstrates how to add constant lines at runtime:

XYDiagram diagram = (XYDiagram)chartControl1.Diagram;

ConstantLine temperatureLine = new ConstantLine("Optimal Temperature: 53°C", 53);
diagram.AxisY.ConstantLines.Add(temperatureLine);

ConstantLine timeLine = new ConstantLine("Time: 00:02:30", "00:02:30");
diagram.AxisX.ConstantLines.Add(timeLine);

Use the ConstantLine.Visible property to hide/show a constant line.

temperatureLine.Visible = false;

Note

The Chart Control does not take into account constant lines and strips when it calculates axis ranges. You can extend an axis range as described in the Configure Visual and Whole Ranges help section to include the constant line’s value in the range.

Runtime (Ribbon UI)

A user should click the Add Vertical Constant Line and Add Horizontal Constant Line buttons in the Chart’s Ribbon or Toolbars to add a constant line.

Show the Title

image

The Title.Text property specifies a constant line’s title. The ConstantLineTitle.ShowBelowLine and ConstantLineTitle.Alignment properties specify the title’s position and alignment.

Use the TitleBase.TextColor, TitleBase.EnableAntialiasing, and TitleBase.DXFont properties to customize the title’s appearance.

Set the TitleBase.Visible property to true to display the title.

ConstantLine temperatureLine = new ConstantLine();
temperatureLine.AxisValue = 53;

temperatureLine.Title.Text = "Optimal Temperature: 53°C";
temperatureLine.Title.ShowBelowLine = true;
temperatureLine.Title.Alignment = ConstantLineTitleAlignment.Far;
temperatureLine.Title.TextColor = Color.DarkBlue;
temperatureLine.Title.EnableAntialiasing = DefaultBoolean.True;
temperatureLine.Title.DXFont = new DXFont("Tahoma", 9F);
temperatureLine.Title.Visible = true;

XYDiagram diagram = (XYDiagram)chartControl1.Diagram;
diagram.AxisY.ConstantLines.Add(temperatureLine);

Display Options

Use the ConstantLine.ShowBehind property to display a constant line over or behind a series.

Property Value Result
ConstantLine.ShowBehind = false ShowBehind_false.png
ConstantLine.ShowBehind = true ShowBehind_true.png
ConstantLine constantLine = new ConstantLine("Value = 2 millions", 2);
constantLine.ShowBehind = false;

The constant line’s title is always shown over series.

Show in the Chart Legend

You can display the constant line’s description in the chart legend.

image

Set the ConstantLine.ShowInLegend property to true and specify the ConstantLine.LegendText property.

ConstantLine temperatureLine = new ConstantLine("Optimal Temperature: 53°C", 53);
temperatureLine.ShowInLegend = true;
temperatureLine.LegendText = "Optimal Temperature";
XYDiagram diagram = (XYDiagram)chartControl1.Diagram;
diagram.AxisY.ConstantLines.Add(temperatureLine);

Appearance Options

Use the ConstantLine.Color, ConstantLine.LineStyle.Thickness, and ConstantLine.LineStyle.DashStyle properties to customize the constant line’s appearance.

ConstantLine temperatureLine = new ConstantLine("Optimal Temperature: 53°C", 53);
temperatureLine.Color = Color.DarkRed;
temperatureLine.LineStyle.DashStyle = DashStyle.Dot;
temperatureLine.LineStyle.Thickness = 2;

End-User Capabilities

Enable the following options to allow users delete, move, and rename a constant line.

ConstantLine temperatureLine = new ConstantLine("Optimal Temperature: 53°C", 53);
temperatureLine.RuntimeDeletion = true;
temperatureLine.RuntimeMoving = true;
temperatureLine.RuntimeTitleEditing = true;
See Also